Evolution of the Hominids: 5,000,000 to 25,000 BC:

• 5,000,000 -1,000,000 BC: Australopithecus
• 2,200,000 - 1,600,000 BC: Homo habilis
• 1,600,000 - 500,000 BC: Homo erectus
  • Stone artifacts and weapons
• 500,000 - 80,000 BC: Homo sapiens
• 100,000 - 33,000 BC: Homo neanderthalensis
  • Ice Ages
  • Stone tools
• 125,000: Homo sapiens sapiens

The Paleolithic Period:
Beginnings of Human culture: 30,000 - 10,000 BC

• c. 30,000 to 25,000 BC: Woman of Willendorf
• c. 27,000 to 23,000 BC: Dolni Vestonice
• 25,000 - 12,000 BC: Venus Figures
• 18,000 BC: Chauvet cave, France
• 15,000 BC: Lascaux cave paintings
• c. 14,000 to 10,000 BC: Altamira Cave Paintings

The Neolithic Period:
The Agricultural Revolution and the Beginnings of Settled Existence: 10,000 BC - 5,500 BC

• 10,000 BC: First agricultural villages
• 10,000 BC: Invention of the bow and arrow
• 10,000 BC: Dogs and reindeer are domesticated
• 10,000 BC: Beginnings of settled agriculture
• 10,000 BC: Earliest pottery (Japan)
• 8,000 BC: Sheep and goats are domesticated
• 8,000 BC: Beginnings of rice cultivation in East Asia
• 8, 500 BC: Jericho is founded
• 6, 000 BC: Village of Ban Po in China
• 5,500 BC: Catal Huyuk
• 500 BC to AD 400: Adena and Hopewell Cultures
• ca. 4000 BC: The Culture of Vra
• ca. 2000 BC: Stonehenge
• AD 700 to 1731: Mississippian Culture

Primary Urbanization:
The First Cities: 3,300 BC- AD 400

• 6,000 BC: Jericho
• 3,300 BC: First Sumerian cities
• 3100 BC: Beginnings of Egyptian civilization
• 2500 BC: Harappan Civilization
• 1800 BC: Shang dynasty in China
• 1200 BC: Olmec culture in Mesoamerica
• AD 400: Jenne-Jeno in Nigeria